Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Palandu

Allium cepa

Palandu (Allium cepa) is a plant used in Ayurveda. Allicin and thiosulfinates are rapidly absorbed but quickly metabolized to diallyl sulfides. S-allyl cysteine shows >90% oral bioavailability. Cooking reduces quercetin content by 20-30% but may improve digestibility.

Key facts
Botanical nameAllium cepa
FamilyAmaryllidaceae · other entries in this family
OrderAsparagales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 2857697 · Wikidata Q20875685 · NCBI Taxonomy 4679

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishPalandu

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)Madhura, KatuPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Guru, SnigdhaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)UshnaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)MadhuraPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Fresh juice (Swarasa), Capsule, Tablet, Soft gel (oil extract), Powder (dehydrated), Syrup, Ear drops, Poultice

Standard Dosage: 5-15 mL fresh onion juice daily; 500-1000 mg dried onion extract daily; 1-3 g dehydrated onion powder daily

Bioavailability: Quercetin from onion is among the most bioavailable dietary sources (~50-65% absorption) due to the presence of quercetin glucosides (especially quercetin-4’-glucoside) which are actively transported by SGLT1 in the small intestine. Allicin and thiosulfinates are rapidly absorbed but quickly metabolized to diallyl sulfides. S-allyl cysteine shows >90% oral bioavailability. Cooking reduces quercetin content by 20-30% but may improve digestibility.

Optimal Timing: Fresh juice: morning on empty stomach or with meals. Supplements: with meals to reduce GI irritation and improve quercetin absorption with dietary fat. Ear drops: as directed by practitioner.

Standardized Extract: Standardized onion extract with quercetin >8% (as quercetin glucosides), total thiosulfinates >1%. Dehydrated onion powder retaining >70% of fresh quercetin content.

Shelf Life: Fresh juice: 4-8 hours unpreserved; Dehydrated powder: 12-18 months; Standardized extract: 24 months; Capsules: 24 months; Freeze-dried powder: 24-36 months

Storage: Fresh onion juice: refrigerated 2-8 deg C, use immediately. Dried forms: below 25 deg C, RH <40%, moisture-barrier packaging. Protect from light (quercetin photodegradation). Enteric-coated products in blister packs to prevent moisture ingress.

Marker Compounds: Quercetin, Quercetin-4’-glucoside, Quercetin-3,4’-diglucoside, Allicin, S-allyl cysteine, Diallyl disulfide, Kaempferol, Isorhamnetin

Extraction Methods

  • Fresh mechanical juice extraction
  • Aqueous extraction followed by spray drying
  • Hydroalcoholic extraction (30-50% ethanol) for quercetin-rich fractions
  • Steam distillation for volatile sulfur compounds
  • Freeze-drying of juice for maximum bioactive retention
  • Enzymatic extraction for enhanced yield

Synergistic Combinations

  • Rasona/Garlic (cardiovascular synergy - combined allium formulation)
  • Haridra (anti-inflammatory combination)
  • Methi/Fenugreek (blood sugar management)
  • Madhu/Honey (cough and cold remedy)
  • Adrak/Ginger (digestive and anti-inflammatory)

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses1

  1. Teshika JD, Zakariyyah AM, Zaynab T and others. 2019. Traditional and modern uses of onion bulb (Allium cepa L.): a systematic reviewCritical reviews in food science and nutrition. PMID 30040448 · doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1499074

Other clinical studies and reviews5

  1. Ochar K, Kim SH. 2023. Conservation and Global Distribution of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Germplasm for Agricultural SustainabilityPlants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 37765458 · doi:10.3390/plants12183294
  2. Chakraborty AJ, Uddin TM, Matin Zidan BMR and others. 2022. Allium cepa: A Treasure of Bioactive Phytochemicals with Prospective Health BenefitsEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM. PMID 35087593 · doi:10.1155/2022/4586318
  3. Kianian F, Marefati N, Boskabady M and others. 2021. Pharmacological Properties of Allium cepa, Preclinical and Clinical Evidences; A ReviewIranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR. PMID 34567150 · doi:10.22037/ijpr.2020.112781.13946
  4. Dorrigiv M, Zareiyan A, Hosseinzadeh H. 2021. Onion (Allium cepa) and its Main Constituents as Antidotes or Protective Agents against Natural or Chemical Toxicities: A Comprehensive ReviewIranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR. PMID 34400937 · doi:10.22037/ijpr.2020.112773.13940
  5. Suleria HA, Butt MS, Anjum FM and others. 2015. Onion: nature protection against physiological threatsCritical reviews in food science and nutrition. PMID 24915405 · doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.646364

Laboratory and animal studies6

  1. Narita Y, Tatara Y, Hamada S and others. 2024. Purification and Characterization of α-Mannosidase from Onion, Allium cepaJournal of applied glycoscience. PMID 38799414 · doi:10.5458/jag.jag.JAG-2023_0010
  2. Arasu A, Prabha N, Devi D and others. 2023. Antimicrobial Efficacy of Allium cepa and Zingiber officinale Against the Milk-Borne Pathogen Listeria monocytogenesJournal of microbiology (Seoul, Korea). PMID 38048022 · doi:10.1007/s12275-023-00086-w
  3. Samayoa BE, Shen FT, Lai WA and others. 2020. Screening and Assessment of Potential Plant Growth-promoting Bacteria Associated with Allium cepa LinnMicrobes and environments. PMID 32147605 · doi:10.1264/jsme2.ME19147
  4. Rambo CL, Zanotelli P, Dalegrave D and others. 2017. Hydropower reservoirs: cytotoxic and genotoxic assessment using the Allium cepa root modelEnvironmental science and pollution research international. PMID 28213707 · doi:10.1007/s11356-017-8509-4
  5. Kramer CM, Prata RT, Willits MG and others. 2003. Cloning and regiospecificity studies of two flavonoid glucosyltransferases from Allium cepaPhytochemistry. PMID 14568073 · doi:10.1016/s0031-9422(03)00507-7
  6. Ohsumi C, Kojima A, Hinata K and others. 1993. Interspecific hybrid between Allium cepa and Allium sativumTAG. Theoretical and applied genetics. Theoretische und angewandte Genetik. PMID 24196147 · doi:10.1007/BF00215036

Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.

Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.